The invention relates to explosively-actuated release mechanisms and, in particular, to mechanisms for releasing and forcefully separating a pair of coupled structural members.
Explosively-actuated release devices are well-known and widely-used in a variety of differing applications. For example, hollow bolts filled with an explosive are quite well known as are other securing or clamping mechanisms which, for release purposes, are explosively severed or disintegrated in various manners. As will become apparent, such conventional mechanisms are not suitable for present purposes.
Development of the present invention primarily has been concerned with the problem of releasing and separating portions of a missile during flight. In particular, its primary use is to release and separate a protecting covering or shell, known as a shroud, of the so-called Cruise missile. This shroud is in the form of a rather large cylindrical section formed of semi-cylindrical halves which initially are securely bolted together to provide a protecting covering or skin for the tail or fin section of the missile. When air-borne, the coupling is broken and halves separate to permit the fins, which initially are collapsed, to spring into operative position.
The release of the missile halves involves some special considerations which, when understood, should serve to demonstrate the inapplicability of conventional prior art devices. One such consideration is the need not only to provide the bolt-release capability but also to achieve separation of the halves at a rather high rate of speed to assure that they are quickly thrown clear of the remaining parts of the missile. It is recognized that springs and the like have been used for this purpose. However, such mechanical devices occupy critical space and add weight to the missile. Also, in view of the size and weight of the shroud halves, the use of spring mechanisms and the like has been found to have definite limitations. A further requirement of the shroud release mechanisms is that they operate in a manner which, to the maximum degree possible, avoids contamination or damage to the remaining parts of the missile by explosively produced flying fragments or shrapnel. When, as is presently the case, a large number of bolts are needed, the resulting contamination could be quite damaging.
The present release and separation system is intended primarily to fulfill these requirements as well as others to be discussed. However, it perhaps is important to re-emphasize the fact that the use of the present system is by no means limited to the specific missile application which has been discussed. Instead, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention contemplates a wide variety of uses in which a primary need is to quickly release and forcefully separate securely-coupled structural members.
Generally considered, the invention provides a tongue and groove coupling in which a tongue half of the coupling is inserted into the groove half and tightly secured by transversely extending bolts. An explosive means, such as a linear explosive, is disposed between the members preferably in the base of the groove adjacent to the tongue. In addition to the essential bolt holes, one of the members, such as the tongue member, is provided with slots disposed near the holes, most suitably, one on each side of each of each hole. The explosive, which may be a linear explosive, operatively spans all of the slots in close proximity to both the slots and the bolt holes. When detonated, the force of the explosive drives the metal web portion above the slots into the slots causing them to collapse. The collapse, in turn, exerts sufficient tension on the web portion of the metal above the holes to produce a rupturing providing openings through which the bolts can freely pass to permit the members to separate. The force of the detonation also functions to forcefully drive the tongue and groove halves apart.